🔴 BREAKING: US-Israel War on Iran — Major Escalation

The situation has escalated dramatically overnight. Here’s what’s moving:

• US-Israel war on Iran live: explosions heard in Gulf cities and Jerusalem; evacuations in Beirut as conflict spreads to Lebanon https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/02/us-israel-war-iran-live-updates-attacks-strikes-tehran-lebanon-beirut-hezbollah-dubai-latest-news

• Israel strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon after Iran-allied group launches missiles over the border https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/israel-idf-strikes-hezbollah-beirut-lebanon-iran-war

• Trump open to talks with Iran as conflict deepens in Middle East https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/01/trump-open-to-talks-with-iran-as-conflict-deepens-in-middle-east

• Oil prices rise as Iran war threatens shipping through Strait of Hormuz https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/oil-prices-iran-war-strait-of-hormuz-shipping

• Hundreds more flights cancelled — worst travel chaos since Covid https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/flights-cancelled-middle-east-travel-chaos-us-israeli-iran-conflictflights-cancelled-middle-east-travel-chaos-us-israeli-iran-conflict

🇪🇺 Europe

• UK to allow US to use British bases for defensive strikes against Iran https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/01/uk-to-allow-us-to-use-british-bases-for-defensive-strikes-against-iran

• Non-essential personnel to leave UK airbase in Cyprus after drone strike https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/uk-airbase-raf-akrotiri-cyprus-suspected-drone-strike

• Ukraine’s Starmer says Ukrainian experts will help shoot down Iranian drones in Gulf https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/ukraine-war-briefing-starmer-says-ukrainian-experts-will-help-shoot-down-iranian-drone-attacks-in-gulf

• Rolls-Royce boss ‘open’ to Germany joining UK’s fighter jet project https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/02/rolls-royce-germany-uk-fighter-jet-tufan-erginbilgic

• Afghanistan says it thwarted Pakistan airstrikes on Bagram airbase https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/afghanistan-says-it-thwarted-pakistan-airstrikes-on-bagram-airbase

🏛️ Defense / GovCon

• BAE Systems books $500M Army contract for M109A7 Paladin Howitzers • Booz Allen secures $697M Army MCTP Training Support contract • Vantor secures $217M Army contract for One World Terrain Support • IBM lands $112M DeCA contract to upgrade digital pricing at military commissaries • Intuitive Machines receives $175M investment for in-space data processing